How to say 'Smell' or 'Suggest' in Japanese | 匂う

Wondering how to say 'Smell' or 'Suggest' in Japanese? You're in the right place!

The Japanese word for Smell or Suggest is 'Niou', written as 匂う in Japanese.'Smell' or 'Suggest' in hiragana is におう.

word

匂う

Meaning

Smell, Suggest

Reading

におう

niou

Kanji

匂Fragrance, Scent

Explanation

The Japanese verb '匂う (におう)' has two primary meanings. The first is 'to smell', which refers to emitting an odor, either pleasant or unpleasant. For example: The flowers smell good「花がいい匂いがする」(はながいいにおいがする). The second meaning is 'to suggest' or 'to hint at', often used to imply something indirectly. For example: His words suggest a hidden meaning「彼の言葉には何か匂うものがある」(かれのことばにはなかににおうものがある). The verb can be used in both literal and figurative contexts, making it versatile in Japanese.

Part Of Speech

verb

Kanji JLPT

Unknown

Kanji Grade

Frequency

7309

Composition

kanji-hiragana

Handwriting

This word is a godan verb. To learn how it transforms in different tenses and forms, explore all its conjugations.

Kanji in the Word 匂う

This word contains 1 kanji character:

kanji

匂

Meaning

Fragrance, Scent

Hiragana in the Word 匂う

This word contains 1 Hiragana character :

hiragana

う

Reading

Words Related to 匂う Through the Kanji 匂

This Word contains the Kanji 匂 as well.

word

匂い

Meaning

Smell

Learn the Word 匂う

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What does 'Niou' (匂う) mean?

'Niou' means 'Smell' or 'Suggest' .

To help you master this word, here's an interactive lesson where you'll practice its readings and meanings.